I admit it. I’m a dyed-in-the-wool, card-carrying old fogey who clings to tradition like a sock stuck to a shirt that just came out of the dryer.

That’s why I was so passionately opposed to the ACC’s decision to add Boston College, Miami and Virginia Tech to its ranks the last time it expanded in 2003-04.

Ironically, it’s the very same reason I am so excited now about the league’s membership growing again.

No, I’m not emotionally attached to Pittsburgh, Syracuse or any of the other schools under consideration to eventually fill the ACC’s two presumed remaining vacancies. Nor am I particularly infatuated by the current race toward 16-team super conferences.

It’s just that by breaking with tradition, this time, the ACC has actually done something positive to help preserve it. In the process, it has succeeded in reversing a troubling downward trend by firmly reestablishing itself as the nation’s premier college basketball league.

Here’s the theory:

Without this surprising and unexpectedly proactive move, the ACC stood to lose several of its current teams, including charter members such as Clemson to the SEC and Maryland to the Big Ten. Such a loss would have been a crushing blow from which the league would never have been able to fully recover – no matter who it brought in to fill the gaps.

Imagine the U.S. losing Maine to Canada and Texas to Mexico, and replacing them with Guam and Greenland. It just wouldn’t be the same.

But that’s all a moot point now.

Sunday morning, the ACC announced that it has formally accepted Pittsburgh and Syracuse as its 13th and 14th members, bridging a glaring gap in the northern half of its geographic footprint and completing a whirlwind process that took less than a week from start to finish.

By firing the preemptive strike and raiding the Big East for the second time in a decade, then upping the ante for leaving to a hefty $20 million, the ACC has assured that its traditional base will survive this conference realignment shakeup and remain intact well into the foreseeable future.

Swofford

“Looking at the landscape and the circumstances across the country there were obviously schools that could add significantly to the Atlantic Coast Conference that were interested in joining us,” commissioner John Swofford said. “The decision was made that now was good time to go ahead and make that move to strengthen the conference.”

The delicious offshoot to that decision is that the ACC has succeeded in ripping the teeth right from the mouth of the beast that was its most significant rival.

If the expansion of 03-04 was all about strengthening its football product for an upcoming television contract negotiation, then this addition – though quite accidentally – has helped undo most of the damage that shift in focus inflicted on its basketball roots.

“Whether everyone agrees with it or doesn’t agree with it, change is happening,” Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski said. “It’s not a revolution, it’s evolution. These things are happening.

“I think the leadership in our conference is doing a great job of getting ahead. These two schools have great athletic programs. They are unbelievable fits for our conference.”

Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim

Forget about branding and scheduling and all those other superficial quick fixes that have been suggested for ACC hopes in recent years. The best way to get better is to field better teams.

And now it’s happened.

In Pittsburgh, the ACC is adding a program that has been to 10 straight NCAA tournaments and was ranked No.1 inthe nation just two seasons ago. In Syracuse, it gains a traditional power whose coach Jim Boeheim, with 856 wins and a national title to his credit, will add some badly needed star power to the ranks of fellow Hall of Famers Krzyzewski and Roy Williams.

At the same time, the Big East has effectively been neutered to the point that its future existence has suddenly come into question, especially if the ACC reaches out and taps defending national champion UConn in its next open casting call.

It will be a shame if that happens. The Big East does, after all, have a tradition of its own – even if it only dates back to 1979, not 1953.

But not to worry.

If the worst case scenario happens and some younger, less grumpy traditionalist is suddenly left without the conference he’s grown to love, there’s plenty room for everyone in the ACC.

Thanks to the forward thinking of John Swofford, it’s going to stay that way for the foreseeable future.

I know but with budgets tight football revenue helps so many programs,as will be marketshare of TV’S for basketball.
A move needed in light of Pac 12 most likely adding -TX/OU/USU/TEXAS TECH.
mega conferences the trend to gobble up YV revenues

I don’t suppose there’s a chance they’ll realign as well, allowing the “old school” schools more chance to again. By making a north and south division it would actually enhance the old rivalries while boosting the image of the conference.

Let’s hope the ACC goes to 18 teams, adding UConn, Rutgers or ND as the final 2 additions. This would have the effect of allowing for the creation of a true North and South Division, which would allow all schools to keep the rivalries going. Perhaps even turning them up a notch. “UNC, Duke, State and Wake would all be in the Southern Division, along with Clemson, Ga Tech, Florida State and Miami. A North Division would be Virginia, Va Tech, Maryland, Boston College, Syracuse, Pitt, UConn, Rutgers or Notre Dame. Louisville wouldn’t be a bad consideration either. Without a doubt this would make for the most powerful conference ever in Basketball and not a shabby one for Football.

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